Re: Suggestions on how to get your support questions answered as quickly as possible

@Sef, 2hot6ft2: Thanks! More excellent suggestions.

Originally Posted by lykwydchykyn

Could I suggest the addition of "Don't add unnecessary drama", with the reason being that it turns support requests into debates or flame wars?

In my experience, this is rarely from people who are asking the questions. That's more of an issue about forum policy than asking questions.

Originally Posted by Sir Jasper

Hi,

Great idea. It is my opinion that it is rarely necessary to quote posts in their entirety when responding [the sheer volume of some threads can be off-putting] - so I would recommend only quoting what is relevant with multiple short quotes as and when necessary.

I would suggest that this thread be closed soon with only the thread opener (as updated from time to time] remaining as a sticky - otherwise this thread will soon acquire hundreds of posts. A suggestion link might appear at the end of the sticky to direct suggestions to a new thread in the main body.

My regards

I'm not really sure about your first suggestion. This article is about asking your support questions than responding to them

Re: Suggestions on how to get your support questions answered as quickly as possible

Hi forestpiskie,

You wrote:
I wonder if pointing people at the forum search is completely the right thing to do - I usually find one of the search engines better and there's no time limit. I use a couple uboontu or googlbuntu
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I have been using ´buntu for more than a year and did not know of googlbuntu. I have just added it to my Firefox search box. Thanks.

I did suggest to one forum member that she googled ¨how to google¨ which had the merit of brevity and simplicity and she found that useful.

As far as the forum search is concerned I also gave her some advice on how to use it - despite I am no expert. Is there a link to see examples of how to best use the forum search, or uboontu and/or googlbuntu?

Re: Suggestions on how to get your support questions answered as quickly as possible

you can google easily with search term site:ubuntuforums.org

but I find that either of the 2 I use are easier - nice search engine addon/plugin to use and they both also will give specific results for forum/wiki and others.
Though I gave up on the forum search for general searches a long time ago - I do still use it if I am searching for very specific things or posts by users etc

Re: Suggestions on how to get your support questions answered as quickly as possible

I am the person that Sir Jasper referred to as being totally impressed with learning about how to google; or more specifically the "I Feel Lucky".

Google a question, even an abbreviation, anything...if google intuitively offers to complete your question, don't click it! Finish typing it in yourself-- then click "I Feel Lucky" this almost miraculously takes you to the ONE best answer as opposed to pages of "Maybe here, you'll find it."

I think you'll get better at asking your question ("posing your querry"); I often append computer or Ubuntu at the end just to make my question much more specific.

(You have to use the google start page to see the "I Feel Lucky" option. If you google, "How to google tutorial" it will open a whole new world of how to go about getting basic questions answered.

So little things that a REAL beginner hates to ask, like, what is PDF?, they can ask and find out that simple type stuff immediately.

And another thing: Why care if the thread stays unlocked...it is the perfect forum for people to continue to remember the obstacles that they encountered when they were so unaware of the ways and means of navigating the ocean of knowledge they'd jumped into. Let it roll on and out...take the best and incorporate it into a FINE beginners log.

***EDIT**
go to synaptic and download hardinfo; then when it is installed, press alt+f2, type hardinfo and then push enter.
It's amazing that stuff I struggled to find -- are laid out here.

Re: Suggestions on how to get your support questions answered as quickly as possible

Thank you undecim and Chris Edgell!
I've been trying to see inside my computer for ages... a problem with beginners is sometimes they just don't know where to look and there's so much to see and learn.

H
PS wikipedia is great for understanding abbreviations and other computer jargon.